Kyocera was proud to sponsor Economist Impact to produce this in-depth report on building AI-powered workplaces.
The study examines how organizations in five global financial hubs – London, New York, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo – are preparing their employees for a successful, AI-powered future. Based on a survey of 639 senior executives conducted in late 2025, the report looks at how leaders are developing the skills, culture and governance needed to scale AI responsibly and sustainably.
The research focuses on three key areas of AI workforce readiness:
- Strategic readiness and investment: How leadership commitments, funding and long-term planning enable organizations to meaningfully integrate AI across operations.
- Essential skills and talent development: How companies can close technical and human skills gaps needed to prepare their workforces for new and evolving roles shaped by AI.
- Cultural and ethical governance: How fostering continuous upskilling and building AI governance frameworks support responsible, safe and sustainable AI use across organizations.
- Holistic research
- Actionable guidance
- Expert perspectives
- Global outlook
Kyocera and Economist Impact: The findings
From gaps, goals and gateways to growth, this international report uncovers the realities about moving from AI ambition to business-wide deployment – and the barriers that continue to limit consistent, measurable outcomes.
Let’s dive into the key findings.
Key figures from the global survey
The ambition–investment paradox
88% of leaders recognize AI as a source of competitive advantage, yet few have invested in that ambition. Only 38% have a dedicated budget for AI skill development.
The governance imperative
Only 8% of organizations have implemented a comprehensive governance framework. Cybersecurity is rated essential by 96% of executives, but just 20% say their teams are proficient in managing AI-related risks.
Training without transformation
99% of executives report having an approach to develop AI-relevant skills. However, most respondents rely on informal or ad hoc approaches.
The middle-management bottleneck
60% of executives say their leadership team is aligned on AI talent strategy, but 48% say managers have only minimal responsibility for AI skill development of their teams and 8% say they have none.
From AI intent to action
Read the full report for fresh insights on building AI-ready workforces, closing skills gaps and strengthening responsible AI governance.
Download the report for free!
Learn how organizations can move beyond AI pilots, build internal capability, and prepare leaders and managers to support enterprise-wide deployment.
Explore the infographic
Download our infographic and explore the key findings on why AI remains stuck in pilots, where skills and governance gaps persist, and the leadership actions needed to scale AI across organizations.
Kyocera was proud to have worked with Economist Impact to produce this in-depth report on building AI-powered workplaces.
AI is reshaping how work gets done. Organizations that prepare their people, systems and leadership for this change will be best placed to realize their full potential.
We hope this study supports organizations in building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable workplaces as AI becomes embedded across everyday operations.
Further reading
Explore insights from EI Studios on document management and how organizations can prepare everyday workflows for AI integration.
- Document management: the missing link in AI adoption
- Communication without barriers: speech recognition for a symbiotic society.